I. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for importing source data. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for importing source data from one or more external sources using a central and/or consistent interface comprising, for example, a software-based framework.
II. Background Information
Importing source data is a process for taking source data comprising a particular format or structure and changing it into another format or structure. In some situations, an ad hoc approach to data importation is applied that depends on the source data. For example, for a given input format or structure, a particular application may be used for transforming the source data into another format or structure suitable for a predetermined environment or destination. If more than one source is utilized, then a separate application may be required for each of the possible source formats or structures. Thus, the conventional strategy is to provide a solution dependent upon the source data.
The above-mentioned approach is inefficient and can cause errors and/or other problems. For example, the conventional strategy does not provide a consistent approach for importing data. As a result, where multiple sources exist, data transformation errors may arise when importing the data. Further, with the conventional strategy, customization and maintenance is difficult since updates must be developed and applied for each source data format.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved methods and systems for importing source data. Furthermore, there is a need for methods and systems for importing source data that are customizable and/or may be used with different source data formats.